Chapter 1

"What did you guys do when I was down in L.A. with my dad?" Buffy lay back against the couch. Riley had tensed when she had said L.A., obviously he still didn't like her being in the same city as Angel. She patted him on the leg comfortingly and he settled down, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer.

"Staked vamps, ate, slept, played mall tag, regular stuff," Xander replied handing out cups of coffee. It was a quiet night so they decided to go to the Bronze, to do some relaxing.

"Went shopping, slayed, manicures, had overnights at peoples houses," added Cordelia.

"Sleep-overs, dares," pipped up Xander, grinning at Willow and Riley who both immediately turned red. The others laughed, except Buffy, who had a confused look on her face.

I missed an inside joke? "What? What did I miss?" Buffy asked, turning to her boyfriend.

"I-it's nothing Buffy. Don't worry about it." He shifted uncomfortably and she glanced over at Willow. She was very busy, studying the tabletop.

"Oh, come on Riley…you two were cute…" Cordelia laughed.

"What?" asked Buffy, growing angry.

"Oh, B's gettin' jealous," said Faith grinning mischievously.

"Am not," replied Buffy smoothly. "F."

"Are too, pet," declared Spike, chuckling. "Go ahead, Xander, tell her."

Buffy turned to Xander. "Well?"

"It was just a truth/dare game, Buffster, don't worry 'bout it."

"It was hilarious though. They both turned bright red and…" Cordelia trailed off, looking at Buffy. "Fine. If you're going to be jealousy queen…we dared them to dance dirty and they were sooo shy and flustered about it. Speaking of which, let's have an encore!" Her eyes shined and she grinned at Willow, whose head snapped up and she looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"N-no, Cordy, no. No." She slid off the stool. "Anyways, I have to finish a paper for tomorrow so I'll see you guys later, 'kay?" She grabbed her jacket and pulled it on.

"Will," Faith called.

"Yeah?"

"Take this." She threw a stake to Willow and to Buffy's surprise, Willow caught it.

"You guys have been training all summer?" she asked, astonished.

"'Course, B, wouldn't want you to have all the fun, would we? It was fun, wasn't it, Riley?" She smirked at Riley then at Buffy's face. "What? He needed a partner and well, we're all coupled, 'xcept Will and so…" she trailed off and Buffy frowned.

"Faith, pet, it's time to go home now," interrupted Spike before they started a slayer's brawl in the Bronze.

"Us, too." Cordelia stood up, kicking Xander.

"Uh, yeah, long day tomorrow…"

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"You okay, Buffy?"

They'd gone patrolling then back to Riley's dorm.

She looked up from where she sat on the bed. "Yeah, fine. It's just, how did I get so outside, Riley?"

"What do you mean?" He sat down in a chair, across from her and held his hands together.

"I don't know what it is but when I came back you guys seemed to be a perfect group. Faith and Spike, Xander and Cordelia and then you and Willow. I seemed to be the fifth wheel…"

"Buffy-"

"No, I don't get it. You guys seen to have had some much more fun without me and I don't like it," she floundered, looking up at him almost in tears. "Am I losing you?"

He'd never seen her like this before. "Buffy, you're my girlfriend." It was all that he could tell her. He stood up and crossed room and sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms.

"I love you, Riley. You're the best." She snuggled against him.

"How was L.A.?" he asked.

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"Willow?"

She looked up from her book. Buffy with serious-talk-time look on her face. Damn. "Yes?" she asked, trying to act as normal as possible. What did I do?

"We have to talk." Buffy sat down beside her on the bench.

"O-okay…" Willow said slowly. "About what?"

"Riley."

She sucked in a breath, hoping Buffy didn't notice. "Riley?" she repeated.

"Yeah." Buffy looked away, up at the blue sky. "Do you like him, Will?" she asked, turning back abruptly, looking at Willow intently.

"What? Yeah, sure, Riley's a cool guy. Cool commando guy who can save the world. He's good at staking vampires." Shut up, her brain told her. You're babbling. But she couldn't stop. "And a nice guy friend who will listen to you. And a good dancer. (Oops) Yeah, I like him… he's cool." She stopped to catch her breath and Buffy jumped in.

"Stay away from him, Will. He's my boyfriend. So stop trying to steal him."

"What?!" Willow yelled, people staring at her outburst. She continued quieter, "You thought…you mean…" She laughed. "No, no Buffy. I don't want Riley. He's a good friend."

"Okay, Willow, because if you try you will regret it." Then she stormed off.

Willow stared after her.

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"Hey! Willster! Wait up!" Xander ran over and wrapped her in a bearhug. He stopped when he saw the confused look on her face. "What's up, little buddy?"

"I don't understand Buffy…"

"Nobody does. But that what we love about her…"

"No, no, she…well, she threatened me. To stay away from Riley. I-I just don't understand. I don't want Riley. Do I? Is that how I come across?"

"She what?" He looked into Willow's eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, but just a little wigged. I don't get it."

"I dunno. I'll talk to her, Will. I gotta go and pick up Cordy from her hair appointment and tell her it looks bea-u-ti-ful, as usual. See you tonight at the cemetery at ten, 'kay?"

"Yep, bye Xander!" Willow was still confused as she opened the door to the apartment that she shared with Cordelia. There were no new messages on the phone or the internet, so she took a shower and as she stepped out, there was a knock at the door. She grasped the towel around herself tighter and went to the door. As she rounded the kitchen, she slipped on the hardwood floor from the water she was dripping like crazy all over, and smashed her head on the cupboards. "Ow," she whimpered as she pulled herself up. "Hang on!" she yelled as she flung the door open. Riley stood there, looking as shocked as she felt and her face turned crimson. He looked away. "Sorry. I ran into Cordelia and Xander. Cordelia has some files that Giles wanted and I said that I was on my way over there so I came to pick them up. Here I am. I didn't expect to see you, in a towel no less." He touched the side of her face. "You're hurt."

"Uh, yeah, I got out of the shower and was about to get changed but then you knocked on the door and so I ran to get it because last time, when Buffy came over, she gave up after like two seconds so I thought it was her so I went as fast as I could and I didn't think you would be here. I slipped on the kitchen floor because I was in the shower and I got all wet because I was in the shower and then I fell and I said that already and then now we are here. Not together. Me and you but not us. Right? Right. I think I hurt my head falling." She stopped babbling. "I don't feel good." She swayed on her feet, the room zooming in and out of focus and then the floor flew up to her face. Just before she knew that she was going to hit it, she was stopped.

"Uh, Willow? Willow?"

She opened her eyes long enough to see that Riley was blushing furiously. Oh, damn, my towel. "Riley?" she asked just before everything went black.

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"Willow?!" someone was saying hysterically.

"Will? Willster? Willmeister? Wills?" another voice, less hysterical.

"Are you okay, Willow?" That one. Oooh… it sounded so nice and calm and sweet and… Stop it! something yelled inside her head.

"I don't feel good," she said, sitting up. The room spun and she was pressed back down. "Where am I?"

"Your bed. Xander, get ice, Cordelia phone up Giles and tell him we're going to be by later. Maybe much later."

She heard the two people leave the room, leaving herself and one other person. She looked up, trying to place him.

"Are you okay, Willow?"

Okay, so he knew her. Wait a minute…Ryan…Ri…Riley! That was it. Everything swam back and she met his gaze.

"Geez, Willow. Gave us quite a scare for a minute there." He brushed the hair away from her face but left his hand on her cheek, he didn't know why but he just wanted, no, needed to. "You okay?" he asked for the third time.

"Yes…no…I feel…different. Kinda." She looked up into his baby blue eyes. "You have nice eyes."

"Uh, yeah, you too."

It was like they were entranced by each other. He moved his face closer to hers.

"Riley?" They were centimetres apart.

"Yeah." He moved even closer, wanting to feel her nearness. His lips were almost touching hers. If either of them moved, they would kiss.

She felt his warm breath as he talked. She licked her dry lips. The wrong thing to do. When her tongue came out to go over her own lips to moisten them, it touched his.

He wrapped his arms around her. They were kissing and he didn't care. He didn't care that Xander and Cordelia were coming back soon. He didn't care that he should feel bad about Buffy. He didn't care if Willow didn't want this; he did, which was a strange thing. He should be thinking about what Willow wanted too… What about Buffy? a small voice asked inside his head. But he didn't care. He ran his hands up and down her slight form. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, holding him, her fingers playing with his hair.

Willow pulled away, and they both sat, gasping, thinking about what they had just done to Buffy.

"Oh, my god. What did I do? What have we done? It was a mistake Riley. A dumb mistake. Right?" she asked in a small voice.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Just a mistake…" But inside he was thinking, no, no mistake. I wanted that. Wanted her…

"Yep. Okay. Time to go to the library. Library is good, Buffy's at the library." She tried to stand up but fell back on the bed. "Umm…maybe I need some help. Hand me that shirt…"

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"You okay, Wills? Geez, you scared us. Sorry for taking off but Giles wanted some help finding something or other and only Cordy had the stuff cuz Angel sent it back with her." Xander hugged Willow.

"Th-that's okay." Willow sat down heavily in a chair, watching behind half slitted lids as Buffy kissed Riley hello.

"Your sure you're alright, Willow? I don't want you to be here and feel obligated…" Giles rubbed his glasses and squinted at her.

"Don't worry about me, Giles. I'm fine."

"Okay, well, we are searching for a demon called Holleght. It preys upon innocent victims and eat the heart."

"Eww, Giles! That was totally gross!" Cordelia gasped. "Ewww…"

"Yes, well…the last reported victim was nineteen and was visiting a friend, here in town. She was found two nights ago, her heart gone, her body torn and broken."

They sat around in quiet, each person in their own feelings, thinking about the poor girl.

"Hey."

Willow looked up first. That voice… "O-oz?" She stood up. "Wha-what are you doing here?" She stood up and walked unsteadily to him, stopping in front of him.

"Hey," he said again. "I'm back."

"Yeah…yeah…Yeah, you are!" She threw her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy!" Now I can get Riley out of my head…

He returned the hug, meeting Buffy's gaze over her shoulder. "I'm home, baby, I'm home."

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Riley watched the two embrace and surprisingly found himself jealous.

"Okay, now that Oz is back, we have some things to take care of." Giles stopped and looked at the seven young people and the vampire.

"Holleght. Fine. I'll take him out. Don't worry about it." Buffy stood up. "Meeting over. I'll take down the bad boy. Just tell me the how."

"I-it's not that simple, Buffy. You have to do a ritual. You cannot fight the demon face to face. We are not trying to kill it because it cannot be physically killed. Only trapped back into Hell."

"Then it's simple. Red. Trap the demon."

"Geez, Faith come up with that one all by yourself?" Buffy snapped, feeling out-classed.

"Buffy!" Giles exclaimed. "What is the matter with you?"

"What do you mean, Giles. I'm fine."

Willow looked over. "Buffy are you okay? 'Cause you're not acting normal happy, cheery Buffy."

"Shut up Willow. Don't tell me how to act."

Willow's eyes widened and the group could see the tears start to form in her eyes. She got up and stumbled out of the room. Everyone turned to Buffy.

"God, Buffy, what's your deal?" asked Cordelia.

"Stop telling me how to act, how to feel!" screeched Buffy. Riley put a comforting hand on her arm.

"I think we should all just go home now. We're a little strung out. I'll patrol."

"Thank you Riley. Yes, I think we should all just cool down, the Hellmouth has taken its toll on us all."

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Willow sat in front of her computer. She couldn't concentrate on school right now. Too many thoughts going through her mind. Might as well do some research on Holleght. She clicked on the Internet dial-up icon.

She woke up lying on the desk in front of her computer. A page stuck to her face as she got up. "Ugh." She padded down to the shower.

After getting dressed she made herself breakfast. The phone rang. Oh, great…another apology from Buffy then another fight about Riley…come on Buffy…geez… She picked up the phone. Or maybe it's Oz! She felt the happy, snugly feeling again. "Hello?"

"Hey baby."

"Oz!" she squealed. "How are you? Wanna come over? Breakfast and all that?"

"Uh, no. That's okay…"

"What's wrong?" she asked, alarmed and on alert. "What happened? Is everyone okay?"

"It's okay, Willow. Everyone's fine. Don't worry about it…I just…I don't think we should see eachother anymore…" He trailed off.

The room got suddenly small and the air was hard to breath.

"Willow?"

"Oz? Why?"

"I-I found someone else…"

"Who?"

"I shouldn't really tell you…"

"Please, Oz, do I know her?"

"Yes," came the whispered reply. "It's Buffy." The last two words were so low that she had to ask him to repeat it.

"It's Buffy," he said again, stronger.

She dropped the pan full of French toast. It clattered on the floor, spilling out the toast.

"Willow?" he asked, alarmed.

"D-does Riley know?" How could she be so mean? Yelling at me for going after her boyfriend and then jumping mine as soon as he got back into town…

"No…she wants to tell him, herself…please don't tell him, Willow, as a last favor…please…"

"I-I can't talk to you right now, Oz…" She hung up the phone and slid down against the wall. Tears spilled out of her eyes and her small body shook from the sobs erupting from her mouth.

A few minutes later, the phone rang again. She thought about letting the machine pick it up but decided against it. She composed herself. "Hello?"

"Willow? Are you okay?"

"This is she. I'm fine," she answered, focused on the french toast on the floor.

"Hey, it's Riley."

What? "Um, hi…" Why is he phoning me? Oh, god, does he know?

"Um, can I come over? We have to talk."

No, no, no, nononononono… "Sure. Come at…" She glanced at the clock. "Three."

"Okay, bye Willow."

"Bye Riley," she said softly. She hung up then picked up the phone. "Hey, Giles, yeah, Willow. Um, I have everything for the spell. Don't worry. It's fail safe. I have everything here. I don't have to do anything but chant and burn stuff. Don't worry. Fine. I'll do it when Riley's here. What? Yeah, he's coming at three. Okay? Okay. Bye." She hung up again.

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She opened the door, not really caring anymore. It was over. Oz was gone from her life. "Riley. Hey. Come inside." She led the way into the kitchen where all her magic stuff was.

"What's this, Willow? You going to turn me into a frog or something?"

She relaxed at his joking tone; almost forgetting but then grew serious. "No, I though I'd take care of Holleght, " she said flatly. Just keep talking about anything but Buffy or last night or Oz and you'll be fine.

"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" Should I say something about last night? Nah, better not.

"Not unless he has a witch that cast a spell against it. But really, what demon is smart enough to pre-plan like that?"

"Yeah." He leaned back against the counter and watched her arrange herbs and stones with runes on them in patterns on the table. Her hair slipped from behind her ear and formed a curtain around her face before she brushed it back. She looked amazing there. Her brown cords fit her perfectly and her t-shirt was turquoise and orange with a rune etched on it. He loved it. "How long is this going to take?"

She grinned mischievously back at him. "Why? Have somewhere else to be? Big date?" Then her face fell as she remembered Buffy and Oz and she quickly turned back to the task at hand. She started muttering under her breath and weaving her hands around. He felt the air around them crackle with energy.

"Air, fire, water, earth, help me guide Holleght back to Hell. Sun, moon, stars, help me keep him there." She lit the herbs. They gave off a sweet yet spicy smell and she felt sleepy. "No…" she moaned, realizing what was about to happen. "Riley, get out. He's sending me…" Then she collapsed to the ground.

Riley's limbs refused to move fast enough. "Wha-? Willow…" He too collapsed and a green mist came up around them.